Monday, November 17, 2008

Dancing on the Road

It's tough keeping limber and in good condition while traveling for work, but nonetheless every night thus far for the last 2 weeks I've been stretching and doing whatever tumbling I can in my hotel room. I'm in my third city in as many weeks and I hope I stay healthy, but the travel and hectic work schedule is getting tougher on my body. There is a Shanghai Dance Academy graduate who is willing to give me class so I am looking forward to that when I land in Shanghai.

While in Beijing, I was able to catch two performances by the Beijing Dance Academy graduates as well as from the Military Arts Academy. These dancers are absolutely stunning. They inspire me to continue to work harder and to strive for more strength, better technique, and most important, they make me remember the passion I have for everything that I do.

About Dancing with Joy

My first love is classical ballet, but Chinese classical and ethnic dance is where my performing heart lies. The process of training my body for greater strength and flexibility is tough, but even more challenging is internalizing the unique nuances of multiple ethnic styles. I'm learning how to breathe and to move all over again, in completely new ways.

Through my studies, I realized how much more I need to learn about the myriad cultures in China. I'm fascinated by how communal identity manifests itself in dance and how dance embodies and influences culture.

Throughout all this, my love of and continued training in classical ballet underpins everything I do in dance.

You're invited to come along with me as I explore, sweat, ponder, and sweat some more!